Review
VW Touareg
VW recently presented the third generation of the Touareg. The brand’s flagship features a range of technological innovations. The most eye-catching is the new monumental digital dashboard, called the innovision cockpit. In addition, the new Touareg has contemporary connectivity and a wide range of driver assistance, comfort, lighting and infotainment systems. Is this the luxury SUV to buy?
Innovision cockpit
When you take a seat in the interior, the digital cockpit immediately attracts your attention. It is the largest we have seen to date and its design was designed with the driver at the center. It is a merger of the Digital Cockpit with a 12-inch screen and the Discover Premium infotainment system with a 15-inch touchscreen. You hardly see any classic buttons. Most functions of the comfort, driver assistance and infotainment systems are operated digitally. You can often adapt these systems to your own personal taste. We were not able to test this system in depth during our test drive, but at first glance the cockpit is very intuitive and user-friendly.
Driver assistance systems
The new Touareg’s ambition is to be one of the safest and most comfortable cars in the world. To achieve this, it has a wide range of driver assistance systems.
For example, you can optionally opt for the “large driver assistance system package”. This consists of the Traffic Jam Assist, the lane keeping assistant Lane Assist, the automatic distance control ACC with “stop-and-go” function, the Emergency Assist (controlled braking in case of inactivity of the driver), the new Intersection Assist, the lane change assistant Side Assist with Rear Traffic Alert and the proactive occupant protection system. The combination of the different systems allows the Traffic Jam Assistant to automatically take control (braking, accelerating and steering) for a limited time at speeds up to 60 km/h when the driver lets go of the steering wheel. Very comfortable and convenient in busy Belgian traffic.
Three optional equipment worlds.
In addition to the basic version, three optional equipment levels are available for the Touareg: Atmosphere, Elegance and R-Line. Our test car was the Touareg in Atmosphere version. The aim is to create an atmosphere of warmth in which wood and natural tones predominate. If you want an interior that focuses on sportiness, then there is the R-Line. If you want more of an atmosphere of technology with accents in metal and matching colors, then there is the Elegance version. In any case, the interior of the Touareg is very handsome and stylish, using materials that feel high-quality. You imagine yourself in a luxury SUV that is not (much) inferior to, for example, a Q7.
3.0 TDI V6
The Touareg is launched with an offering of two V6 diesel engines. In both cases it concerns a 3.0 TDI with a power of 231 hp or 286 hp. Later, a 340 hp V6 petrol engine and a 4-liter V8 turbodiesel with a power of 421 hp will follow. There is also a plug-in hybrid drive in the pipeline. Like its predecessors, the Touareg is also equipped with permanent four-wheel drive (4MOTION) as standard and this is linked to the also standard 8-speed automatic transmission.
We tested the Touareg on the basis of a test drive with the 286 hp V6. This has a generous torque of 600 Nm. In this motorization, the Touareg feels very potent and powerful. Although this SUV is no small feat, it still shoots away like an arrow from a bow when you lean hard on the gas. This car drives very quickly, even on the highway when restarting. The automatic transmission does its job well and ensures that the Touareg is always in the right gear.
The basic version of the Touareg currently costs 61,400 euros. For the Elegance or Atmosphere you must have a budget of at least 76,380 euros and the R-Line starts from 78,790 euros. Our test car was the V6 with 286 hp in Atmosphere version. If you then check a few more options, you will have a budget of almost 100,000 euros.
Four-wheel steering
Driving the Touareg is just as easy as driving an estate car. Driving is even easier with the optional four-wheel steering, which especially benefits the maneuverability. Up to 37 km/h, the rear wheels automatically steer in the opposite direction to the front wheels. At speeds above 37 km/h, the rear wheels automatically steer with the front wheels. The system will then, for example, stabilize the SUV during evasive maneuvers or rapid track changes.
Conclusion
The Touareg has a lot to offer for an audience looking for a luxury SUV with a high-quality finish, lots of technology and luxurious comfort. In that respect, this SUV is certainly not inferior to the SUVs of the luxury brands, although the price is of course also corresponding.
Additional images of the exterior, interior and lights:
Johan De Haes
Test driver
